Enterprise WLAN to meet future needs: 802.11ac access end products

Although the standard has not yet been completed, the WLAN supplier has begun to sell 802.11ac access end products and provides the migration path for enterprises. The 802.11ac standard (also known as "Gigabit Wi-Fi") can increase the data transmission speed from 802.11n Mbps to 1.3 Gbps, and can accommodate a larger number of Wi-Fi devices. Enterprises are considering using the 802.11ac standard as a network solution to adapt to future needs to handle the average number of wireless devices added to each user.

The supplier provides the 802.11ac access end solution while protecting the existing infrastructure investment

For the IT department, upgrading WLAN may be expensive and time-consuming. However, some network vendors (such as Cisco and Xirrus) have released 802.11ac extension modules that support the existing 802.11n infrastructure. Cisco will provide expansion modules for its value-added access end (Aironet 3600 series) as early as next year. Inbar Lasser-Raab, Cisco enterprise network sales Senior Director, pointed out that network administrators can deploy modules to the existing 3600 access end, so that they can support 802.11ac immediately without replacing legacy technologies. The University of South Florida in Tampa has deployed a large number of Cisco Aironet 3600 access terminals, which deploy 802.11ac standard wireless signals in areas with high-density classrooms and students' wireless devices consuming a large bandwidth on campus networks.

USF's senior network engineer Joe Rogers pointed out that using plug-in modules to upgrade the Aironet 3600 access end that supports 802.11n access to support 802.11ac access, this school can quickly improve wireless devices (150 ~ Currently, the school library has 400 concurrent Wireless Access Users every day. "Our students and public facilities always have great bandwidth needs, and when 802.11ac is officially released, it will certainly become our standard wireless technology," he said ." He added that new modules could be added to existing technologies to protect existing investment-which is good news for the IT department when new wireless standards are officially released.

Like Cisco, Xirrus attracts customers in a similar way. Xirrus vice president of product sales Bruce Miller pointed out that it launched a new XR-2200 series of instant and scalable wireless arrays, it has two open slots, can accept the future release of Xirrus 802.11ac modular access end. By opening the array and inserting new modules that support higher bandwidth wireless signals, customers can easily upgrade their infrastructure.

Wi-Fi access end: enterprises want to protect existing investment

Matthias Machowinski, head of enterprise network and video at Infonetics research, pointed out that not every enterprise will immediately switch to 802.11ac. Many enterprises are still upgrading 802.11n. "The upgrade of 802.11ac is likely to take place in the next five to six years," he said ." Many companies still refuse to buy a new generation of network technology before the standard is officially released, even if earlier versions of 802.11n pre-standard products were successful. Some suppliers provide an investment plan to provide customers with the latest technologies to eliminate their concerns.

Meru is a network vendor. It also released an investment protection plan when releasing two new wireless access terminals (MC6000 and AP332. Manish Rai, vice president of Meru product sales, pointed out that this plan allows users to buy AP332 and three other 802.11n access terminals now, and then pay an additional $499 for upgrade when the 802.11ac access end is released in the future. Rai pointed out that although enterprises will not immediately migrate to 802.11ac, with the increase of their own devices (BYOD), native support for new standard policies and devices will encourage enterprises to deploy 802.11ac wireless signals. For enterprises that are still hesitant to support 802.11ac now or next year, we will offer an upgrade discount for the 802.11ac product (released next year) to customers who are currently purchasing the 801.11n product.

Xirrus also announced an investment plan for customers who are waiting for the official release of 802.11ac. This pre-sale plan will offer discounts for customers who reserve the 802.11ac module before the official release of 802.11ac next year. Machowinski said: "suppliers should provide economic methods to help enterprises invest in technology. Users want to buy technology now, but it cannot cut prices quickly, or it won't be supported in the next few months ."